Iran players facing 74 lashes

Two players at Iranian club Persepolis have been suspended for 'immoral acts' after their celebration of a goal during the 3-2 win over Damash Gilan last Saturday.

Sheys Rezaei and Mohammad Nosrati were fined almost £25,000 each for grabbing their teammates' backsides during the celebration and have been banned indefinitely from all football activities by the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI), with the possibility of 74 lashes awaiting them.

"[It is] a violation of public chastity based on current Iranian social values", Judge Valiollah Hosseni told the Fars News Agency. "It is even worse to do these actions before the eyes of thousands of spectators and TV cameras. The punishment of this crime is up to two months of prison and 74 lashes."

Ultra-conservative Iran has made steps to eradicate bad language and any acts of inappropriate behaviour by both players and spectators and the FFIRI could use the pair as an example, with the lashes to be carried out on the field where the incident occurred.